BILOXI, Miss. (WLOX) — Across the country, fans of Apollo 13 astronaut Fred Haise are gearing up to celebrate his 93rd birthday on Nov. 14.
The “Punk Rock Fred” shirt, featuring playful artwork by Biloxi artist Lucinda Perniciaro, has been purchased by customers from Portland, Oregon, to Cocoa Beach, Florida, and dozens of towns in between.
Now those customers are sending in photos and short video clips of themselves wearing the shirt, with many holding hand-lettered “Happy Birthday, Fred” signs.
The photos and clips are being assembled into an online birthday montage that will be released on Haise’s birthday. A promotional video featuring the first wave of shirt-wearing well-wishers was released on Facebook.
Haise, the lunar module pilot on the Apollo 13 mission in 1970, is the last surviving member of that crew. He later commanded the approach and landing tests of the space shuttle Enterprise.
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Biloxi honored Haise this year with the dedication of Fred Haise Landing on Highway 90, home to his statue, the Moonwalk Mural restored by Perniciaro, and a stretch of the highway that now bears his name.
Organizers said the shirt is a project with a purpose. Proceeds from sales will pay the artist to seal the Moonwalk Mural at Fred Haise Landing, protecting the restored artwork from Gulf Coast weather for years to come.
Shirts can be purchased online here. Shirts are also available at the Biloxi Visitors Center.
Anyone can join the salute by ordering a shirt, putting it on, and sending in a photo or a short clip to VCreel85@gmail.com .
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